Author Topic: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...  (Read 4050 times)

Offline nadalotta

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New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« on: December 10, 2011, 06:59:50 PM »
Hi, my name is dee and I'm going to begin the Paleo way of eating on Monday.

I'm one of those people who can eat the same foods every day for months.  I just figured out how many carbs I've been eating for at least the past 6 months and it's 620.  Yes, 620.  {12/11/2011:  EDITED TO AMEND TOTAL NUMBER OF CARBS TO 1,064}

Beginning Monday, I'm going to be eating about 20 carbs a day.  I'm nervous - I have a feeling the Low Carb Flu will be visiting very soon.

Does anyone have any tips to help with the upcoming pain?

Thanks!
« Last Edit: December 11, 2011, 04:48:29 PM by nadalotta »

Offline Warren Dew

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2011, 07:11:15 PM »
Drink lots of water - at least half a gallon a day.  This may not allow you to avoid "low carb flu" entirely, as Dr. Eades believes, but it will help a lot.

Also, don't skimp on the fat.  At 20g of carbohydrate a day, you'll likely go into ketosis, and your liver will need the fats to produce the ketone bodies.

Offline nadalotta

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2011, 08:21:53 PM »
Thank you, Warren, for your reply.

I must be dreaming - no one has ever told me to eat MORE fat!

Offline Fee

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2011, 09:57:36 PM »
Hi, i'm new here too :)

I'm on my 3rd day of paleo (though still have had small amounts of sweet potato, potato and butter, but no other non paleo foods that I know of) and I was previously having 150-200 grams of carbs per day and would have 30-40 grams of fat.  I have really tried to embrace the fat and i'm loving it.  I feel full and satisfied and the meals are way yummier and portions bigger.  Yesterday I felt really quite tired and sluggish, today i'm better and hoping to feel even better tomorrow.  So don't let that turn you off in the beginning, it will go away (so i've read).

I'm sure you'll do great and hopefully you'll feel heaps better in no time.  Will your carbs just come from veggies?

Offline Jean

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2011, 10:21:38 PM »
From what I've read, plenty fat, plenty water, and don't overdo the strenuous exercise, and it should pass inside two or three weeks. But I didn't get low-carb flu, I felt more energetic from day one. Good luck!

Offline celticcavegirl

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2011, 08:52:36 AM »
  I just figured out how many carbs I've been eating for at least the past 6 months and it's 620.  Yes, 620.


620g per day?!?!?!?!!!!!!   How is this even possible??!!!

Great that you've found paleo, otherwise for sure you would have given yourself diabetes...

Anyway, the low carb flu - I went cold turkey and I didn't get it, but then I was probably lucky.  At 20g carb, you probably need 80-120g fat a day (depending on your total calorie intake).  When you go paleo and LC, the genes that regulate fat metabolisation are up-regulated, which takes some time, hence why some people get low-carb flu.  To help you with the first 2-3 weeks I really recommend making some of those fats coconut fats, which are digested differently to other fats.  Try coconut milk and berry smoothies, or sauteeing your veggies in coconut oil :)

good luck!
Sugar addiction kills more people than all other kinds of drugs combined

If your food needs a prefix, it's not paleo!

E.M.F.

Offline nadalotta

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2011, 03:50:38 PM »
Whoops, 620 was wrong - I forgot the sugar free pudding and one of the ice cream containers.

The daily total is 1,064 - and that's with no breakfast.

For lunch, I have 2 Lean Cuisine fish dinners
Then 2 containers of ice cream

Dinner is 2 more fish dinners
1 container of ice cream

Before going to bed, I have 6 sugar-free pudding cups

I wake up a few times during the night. I eat 6 more pudding cups during one of those times.

Lean Cuisine is 41 carbs per box so 41x4=164 carbs
Ice cream is 252 per container so 252 x 3= 756
Puddings are 12 carbs each so 12x12= 144

There ya go - 1,064 carbs.

OMG and I'm going down to about 20 carbs tomorrow...

Thank you for the tip on water - no problem drinking a gallon.

As for the fat, I'm trying to think of the fattiest cut of meat - maybe pork spareribs or corned beef?

BTW, I have Diabetes 2 - no surprise there!

Also, I did buy coconut oil and some other oils (macadamia, walnut & olive).  Maybe I should just drink a cup of the coconut oil, lol.

Thanks again.



Offline stichelton

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #7 on: December 12, 2011, 10:13:14 PM »
OMG over 1000 carbs. How'd your first day go?  :)

Offline nadalotta

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #8 on: December 14, 2011, 05:43:12 PM »
Not good! 

I know it'll get better but it's going to be a very long week...

Offline UKtroglodyte

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #9 on: December 15, 2011, 08:04:32 AM »
 :(  Stay with it. It'll be SO worth it when you get over the transition.

Offline samjohn

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #10 on: December 15, 2011, 10:22:14 PM »
If anyone needs Paleo it is you, after that diet. Might be rough going in the first month, but when you get past that, your life will change.
The answer to your question is 'eat more fat'.

Stop counting calories. If you are eating Paleo, there is usually no need.

If you are having weight loss issues, it'd be a good idea to start posting a detailed food journal, then everyone can help.

'Anecdotal Evidence' is an oxymoron.

Offline nadalotta

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #11 on: December 19, 2011, 08:07:19 PM »
UK, thanks - I'm over the hump.  No more cravings for carbs!!

Samjohn, I love your comment, 'If anyone needs Paleo it is you, after that diet.'  So true!

As of today, I'm down 11 pounds.  Yay!

Offline samjohn

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #12 on: December 19, 2011, 10:01:07 PM »
If you're on any meds for the diabetes you'll have to monitor yourself quite closely, as the need for them will disappear.  Get your carbs as low as possible.
The answer to your question is 'eat more fat'.

Stop counting calories. If you are eating Paleo, there is usually no need.

If you are having weight loss issues, it'd be a good idea to start posting a detailed food journal, then everyone can help.

'Anecdotal Evidence' is an oxymoron.

Offline nadalotta

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #13 on: December 20, 2011, 12:09:29 PM »
Actually, I stopped taking Metformin last Thursday since the only carbs I'm eating are veggies and a little fruit.  Probably shouldn't have done that without talking to my doctor.

I haven't taken my Blood Glucose in several days...  OK, I just took it and it's 120!  It was 162 when I began Paleo on the 12th.  A long time ago, a nurse told me a reading of 140+ means cellular damage so this is good news.

Thanks!

Offline samjohn

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2011, 07:48:12 PM »
Still a bit high but it is definitely moving in the right direction.
The answer to your question is 'eat more fat'.

Stop counting calories. If you are eating Paleo, there is usually no need.

If you are having weight loss issues, it'd be a good idea to start posting a detailed food journal, then everyone can help.

'Anecdotal Evidence' is an oxymoron.

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Re: New - Going from a Kazillion carbs to 20...
« Reply #14 on: December 20, 2011, 07:48:12 PM »